Commercial Real Estate Brokers – Where Your Best Commissions are Derived

In commercial real estate brokerage, you must know where your new business is derived from and where the best commissions are likely to come from into the future.  Some new property business can be much more lucrative for you over time.  Understand what that new business looks like and how you can find it.  Focus into the segment that works for you.

Your opportunities will come from your local property market.  The way to find that business is to specialize and improve your services accordingly.  Top agents are very good at just one or two things, and then they drive themselves into that or those segment(s).

Where then are you likely to find the best business in both listings and commissions into the future?  When you know your skills and knowledge, you can do something with growth and market share.   You can also practice and improve your skills on the things that really matter.  That’s how you generate more commissions and listings in a relevant and real way.

Your special market segments?

Consider the special market segments below and how you can select the right category of business activity.  Ultimately strive to grow and shape your market share as a broker or agent over time.  Plan your way forward:

1. Sellers agent – If you are a seller’s agent (or want to be) then you must know how to pitch and present your listing services competitively and directly to the people that matter. This is the ‘pointy end’ of our craft; pitching and presenting is something that will always vary based on the property and the client.  Ultimately you will need a good database of clients to focus on so you are there to help them at the right time when they need a property solution.
2. Leasing agent – Three are always businesses looking to relocate locally. Spend some time looking into the business community and what they want from a property and improvement perspective.
3. Property management specialist – The management services to be offered today to the owners of any quality investment property can be quite unique and comprehensive. Your fee structures should be as comprehensive as your services offered.
4. Property performance improvement – Can you improve a property and its performance? Ultimately if your fee in property management is based on a percentage of passing income, then you can improve your fees through improved property rental cash flow.  When the landlord wins, you also win.
5. Lease negotiations – Every lease negotiated deserves a reasonable fee. The value of a lease into the future is sustained as long as the lease is structured with due care.

And so the list goes on.   Can you see the opportunity here?  Specialization works in commercial real estate brokerage.

Look at your location, your client segments, the levels of professional services offered by your competition, and then understand exactly how you will pull in your commission and what your professional services provide your clients.  You will never have a big problem in setting your professional fees if you and your services are regarded as the best available for the client and their property challenge.

Your services?

Here are some other valuable service alternatives for you to open up into as a real estate agent for your location:

• Tenant advocacy
• Tenancy mix strategies
• Buyers agent
• Project development
• Industrial property
• Office property
• Retail property

Your ability to earn money as commission and to convert listings will be based largely on your skills and knowledge.  Practice what you do and learn as much as you can.  That is what our business is all about.

(N.B. these ideas are also sent out to regularly to our friends in Commercial Real Estate Online Snapshot to help amplify brokerage results…. Get your access here)